Route file



Oct. 18, 1932'. L, A, ELU ON 1,883,647

ROUTE FILE Filed July 25, 1931 Patented Get. 18, 1%32 LUTHER A. ELLISON,

'r FHCE OF TOPEKA, KANSA$- acorn FILE Application filed July 25,

This invention relates to'route files, and has for one of its objects to provide a novel device of this character which shall embody account cards or sheets for a dairy or other .5 business, and means adapted to support the cards or sheets in a delivery automobile in such manner as to render them so readily accessible to th driver that he may without loss of time enter his deliveries and collecl tions as they are made. I

The invention has for a further objectto provide a route file of the character stated which shall embody a tablet for supporting the account cards or sheets stacked one upon 35 the other in the order in which the goods are to be delivered to the persons whose names and addresses appear on the cards or sheets, means for connecting the cards or sheets to the tablet in a manner to permit the card or sheet upon which a delivery or collection has been entered to be turned to one side of the stack to expose the name and address of the next person to whom the delivery is to be made, and means for supporting the tablet in an upwardly and forwardly inclined position from the instrument board of an automobile so that the uppermost card or sheet of the stack may be clearly visible to the driver from his seat and so that he may conveniently enter a delivery or collection on a card or sheet and turn the same to one side of the stack. 7

VVith the foregoing and other objects in or view, the nature of which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein 4 Figure 1 1s Q'VlQW lllustrating the manner in which the route file is adapted to be applied to the instrument board of an automobile. Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on a vertlcal plane extending longitudinally and centrally through the route filo. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the bracket of the route file, and

Figure 4 is a sectional View illustrating the manner in which the account card or sheet 1931'. Serial No. 553,229.

retaining pins are secured to the tablet-and the manner in which the cards or sheets are connected to the pins.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 1 designates the windshield, Zthe instrumentboard, and 3 the steering wheel of a delivery automobile for a dairy or other business; 4: designates the route file which is mounted upon the instrument board 2 to the right of the. steering wheel 3 and comprises a bracket 5 secured directly to the instrument board, a tablet 6 removably mounted upon the bracket, and account cards or sheets '7 mounted upon the tablet.

The bracket 5 comprises two triangular members 8 which are preferably made from stiff wire and which are arranged in spaced parallel relation. The bracket members 8 are arranged in laterally spaced relation, and present vertical front bars 8a, upwardly and rearwardly'inclined'lower bars 85, and upwardly and forwardly inclined rear bars 80. The bracket members 8 are secured together by a plate 9 and a cross bar 10, the plate being located between and terminally secured to the bars 8a near thelower ends of the latter, and the bar lObeing located between and terminally secured to the, bars 86 near the upper ends of the latter. The plate 9 is provided with openings ll for the reception of bolts, not shown, through the medium of which the bracket 5 is secured to the instrument board 2. The bars extend below the bars 8?) and their lower end portions are curved upwardly to provide hooks 12.

The tablet 6, wh ch is preferably made from sheet metal, is of elongated rectangular formation in elevation, and is positioned upon the bracket 5 in contact with the bracket bars 80 and with its lower edge positioned'in the bracket hooks 12. The tablet 6 is provided in its lower side and near its upper end with a hook 13 which engages with the bracket bar 10 and which cooperates with the bracket hooks'12 to hold the tablet against accidental displacement from the bracket. The lower end portion of the tablet 6 is curved upwardly toprovide a trough 14 which is positioned in the bracket hooks l2. The trough la is closed at its ends and open at its upper side, and is provided for the reception of a pencil.

The account cards or sheets 7 bear the names and addresses of those to whom goods are to be delivered and are ruled to provide spaces in which may be entered the deliveries and collections as they are made. The account cards or sheets 7 are positioned one upon the other upon the tablet 6 at one side of the vertical center of the tablet. The account cards or sheets 7 are secured to tee tablet 6 by U-pins 15 which are terminally secured to the tablet and which pass through openings 16 in the cards or sheets. The upper V sides of the U-pins 15 are split, as at 17, to

permit the account cards or sheets 6 to be either applied thereto or removed therefrom. The pins 15 extend transversely of the tablet 6 with their vertical members at opposite sides of the longituoinal center of the tablet to the end that the account cards or sheets 7 may be moved on the pins from one side of the tablet to the other.

An arcuate arm 18 is secured to and extends upwardly and rearwardly from an upper corner of the bracket 5 and is provided with a lamp socket and switch 19 which may be connected by conductors, not shown, to the storage battery of an automobile. An incandescent lamp 20 similar to those used on the instrument boards of automobiles is secured in the socket and switch 19. The arm 18 supports the lamp over the tablet 6, and a reflector 21 directs the rays from the lamp onto the tablet and account cards or sheets 7. If desired, the arm 18 may be hollow for the reception of the'conductors for connecting the lamp to the storage battery.

In practice, the account cards or sheets 7, which are positioned one upon the other in the order in whichthe goods are to be delivered to the customers named on the cards one side'of their retaining pins 15. After goods have been delivered to a customer, and

after the required notation has been entered on the customers card or sheet, such card or sheet is turned to the other side of the retaining pins 15, to thus present to view the card which bears the name and address of the next customer to whom goods are to be delivered. As theaccount cards or sheets 7 are located in an upwardly and forwardly inclined position to the right of the steering wheel of the delivery automobile, the driver, may without leaving his seat, read them, readily enter the required notation on them, and after making the notation readily turn them. The lamp 20 provides for the illumination of the account cards or sheets 7 during the night. After all of the goods have been delivered the driver may, on the return to his business headquarters remove the tablet 6 from the bracket5 and then hand the tablet with its account cards or sheets 7 into the oifice. Due to the manner in which the account cards or sheets 7 are initially arranged upon the tablet 6, and as they are supported in front of the drivers seat, the file enables a new driver to serve a route in a comparatively short time. The file may be manufactured and sold at low cost, the file bracket may be easily and quickly attached to an instrument board, and the file cabinet may be easily and quickly applied t and removed from the bracket.

While I have described the principle of the invention, together with the structure which I now consider the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the structure shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is 1-- 1. A route file comprising members ar ranged in laterally spaced relation and having upright front bars and downwardly and rearwardly inclined rear bars, the rear bars having their lower ends curved to provide upwardly directed hooks, an attaching plate located between and secured'to the front bars, a cross bar secured to and between the rear bars, the attaching plate and the cross bar serving to secure said members in assembled relation, a tablet resting upon the rear bars with its lower end positioned in the hooks, and an element carried by the tablet and removably engaged with the cross bar, said element and the hooks holding the tablet on said members against accidental displacement therefrom.

2. A route file comprising members arranged in laterally spaced relation and having upright front bars and downwardly and rearwardly inclined rear bars, the rear bars having their lower ends curved to provide upwardly directed hooks, an attaching plate located between and secured to the front bars near the lower ends of such bars, a cross bar secured to and between the rear bars near the upper ends of such bars, the cross bar and attaching plate serving to secure said members in assembled relation, a tablet resting upon the rear bars with its lower end positioned in the hooks, and an element carried by the tablet and removably engaged with the cross bar, said element and the hooks holding the tablet on said members against accidental displacement therefrom.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature. 1

LUTHER A. ELLISON. 

